Method of sizing yarns and composition therefor



. Patented Dec. 1951 METHOD OF SIZING YARNS AND COMPOSITION THEREFORGerald R. Barrett, Winchester, Mass., assignor to Monsanto ChemicalCompany, St. Louis, Mo., a

corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application April 29, 1948 SerialNo. 24,112

14 Claims. (Cl. 2613-29-6) The present invention relates to improvementsin the art of sizing polyamide yarns such as nylon yarns. It alsorelates to improvements in the art of sizing other textile yarns whichstretch or elongate when subjected to a relatively slight stress orstrain inherent in loom operation and which almost immediately return totheir original length after such stress or strain is removed.

One of the difliculties heretofore experienced in the weaving of sizedpolyamide yarns such as sized nylon warps is that the size tends to shedor dust from the yarns. The extent to which the size sheds or dustsvaries depending upon the size employed, but this phenomenon is commonto all of-th commercially known nylon sizes as, for example, starch,gelatine, polyvinyl alcohol and the like. The dusting or shedding ofsize from nylon yarns during the weaving operation is objectionable forseveral reasons, among these being the creation of dust andother-undesirable conditions in the ,weave shed. However, one of themost important objections is that the yarn loses part of its protectivecoating and is subject to damage by the mechanical moving parts of theloom as, for example, the heddles, etc. The damage referred to isgenerally of two types, namely-:' (1) yarn breakage which causes a loomstoppage, or (2) yarn defects such as stripped back filaments, thinyarns and the like which appear as defects in the finished cloth. Yarnbreakage during weaving decreases the efiiciency of the loom in respectto fabric production per unit of time and can only be remedied byconstant supervision and the use of adequate personnel to repair thebreaks quickly. This in turn renders the operation of the weave shedless efiicient and less economical. Yarn defects of the type describedabove are usually readily apparent in the finished fabric and mayrequire a down grading of the fabric on inspection, i. e., classifyingthe fabric as second quality.

In accordance with the present invention the above describeddifficulties are substantially eliminated and the weaving efliciencyofnylon warp yarns and other textile yarns of similar elasticcharacteristics is markedly improved.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved andefiicient sizing composition for nylon yarns and for other textile yarnshaving elastic characteristics similar to nylon yarns.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sized nylon yarn orother textile yarn which has elastic properties similar to nylon yarns,which sized yarn is characterized by a tough, smooth size coating whichis substantially free of loom yarns and at the same time materiallyincreasing the quantity of first quality fabric which can be producedfrom such yarns.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe following description and the appended claims.

The ob ects of the invention, in general, are attained by first applyingto the naked or presized nylon yarn or other textile yarn having elasticcharacteristics similar to nylon yarn a Water solution comprisingessentially a watersoluble or dispersible alkali-metal salt of acopolymer Of an ethylene a,p-dicarboxyllc acid or anhydride or an alkylacid ester of such acid or anhydride and preferably those alkyl acidesters having not more than 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, orcombinations thereof, with styrene or a substituted styrene such asnuclear substituted methyl styrene, dimethyl styrene, chloro styrene,dichloro styrene or the like; and a polyalkylene glycol which is capableof plasticizing suchcopolymeric salt, preierably a polyethylene glycolhaving the general formula:

where a: is an integer from 3 to 9. After the sizing solution, which 15generally maintained at elevated temperatures, is applied to the textileyarns in suitable manner as, for example, by passing the warp yarnsthrough a conventional size box contaimng such solution, the sized yarnsare dried in a suitable manner, that is, rendered nontacky, preferablyby passing them over heated drying cans of the type conventionallyemployed in warp slashing operations.

The nylon yarns or other yarns which have elastic properties similar tonylon yarns which are sized by such procedure have a tough, elastic andsmooth size coating thereon which does not substantially dust or shedwhen the yarns are subsequently woven in a loom at 50 to relativehumidity. Moreover, such size coating is easily removed from the yarnsby washing the woven goods in warm water. In addition, the woven fabricsprepared in the manner described contain fewer defects than fabricswoven from similar yarns which have been sized with commerically knownsizes of the prior art and more first quality fabric is thus produced bycarrying primary importance in increasing the weaving.

efliciency of other multifilament yarns and spun yarns which stretch orelongate under relatively slight stress or strain and which quicklyreturn substantially to their original length when such stress or strainis alleviated. As examples of such yarns are multifilament yarns spunfrom solutions comprising copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinylacetate, polyvinylidene chloride, copolymers of vinylidene chloride andvinyl chloride and the like, or spun yarns which are made from staplefibers prepared from such copolymers or polymers.

The water-soluble or dispersible copolymeric salts employed in thepractice of the invention may be prepared in various ways. In general,they are prepared by first forming a copolymeric material by theconjoint polymerization of an ethylene c,;3-dicarboxylic acid oranhydride such as maleic acid, fumaric acid, maleic anhydride and thelike, or alkyl acid esters thereof such as methyl acid maleate, methylacid fumarate, ethyl acid maleate, ethyl acid fumarate, isopropyl acidmaleate, propyl acid maleate and the like or mixtures of such compoundswith styrene 01' a similar polymerizable vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon ofthe type hereinbefore described in a molal ratio of about 1:1.0 to 2,preferably a molal ratio of about 121.0 to 1.5 and then reacting theresulting product with an alkali base such as NaOH, KOH, LiOI-I or thelike, preferably by adding the copolymer to an aqueous solution of suchalkali metal base.

When such copolymer is prepared by the wellknown mass polymerizationmethod the polymerizable components are copolymerized at temperaturesbetween about 100 to 300 F. for several hours. The copolymer is obtainedin the form of a hard, glassy resin which is then converted to a salt byadding it to an aqueous solution containing a quantity of alkali metalbase suflicient to dissolve the copolymer.

Another method which may be used to prepare such copolymeric materialsis known as the solvent-non-solvent process which involvescopolymerizing the above described components in the presence of asolvent such as xylene, benzene and the like which is capable ofdissolving both of the starting materials, but not the copolymericmaterial. This reaction is usually carried out at the boiling point ofthe solvent. The copolymer, which is precipitated during the reaction,is separated from the solvent and unreacted monomers by filtration,centrifuging or the like and is then dried. The alkali metal salt ofthis copolymer is then prepared as hereinbefore described.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the copolymeric materialemployed is prepared by copolymerizing maleic anhydride and a smallproportion of methyl acid maleate, preferably from about 0.05 to 50% byweight based on the maleic anhydride, and styrene in essentiallyequimolecular proportions by one of the foregoing methods, and thenreacting the product with an alkali metal base, preferably aqueous NaOHor KOH solutions or mixtures thereof, to form a water-soluble material.

It has now been found that when such copolymeric salts are plasticizedwith certain polyalkylene glycols in a water solution that a sizingcomposition is formed which is particularly useful in the sizing ofnylon yarns and other textile yarns having elastic properties similar tonylon yarns. In general, polyalkylene glycols which have a high boilingpoint, that is, those which boil above about 290 C. at atmosphericpressure and which are water-soluble or soluble in an aqueous solutionof the copolymeric salt are useful for plasticizing such copolymericsalt. Those which are particularly useful in this connection are thepolyethylene glycols having the general formula:

where :z: is a positive integer from 3 to 9. As examples of these aretetraethylene glycol, hexaethylene glycol, octaethylene glycol,nonaethylene glycol and the like or mixtures thereof. It is alsopossible to use polypropylene glycols which have the generalcharacteristics described above for plasticizing the copolymeric saltshereinbefore described. It has also been found that sugars and sugaralcohols such as dextrose, sucrose mannitol, sorbitol and the like orwatersoluble derivatives thereof may be used to modify the abovedescribed polyglycol plasticizers and thus decrease the quantity of suchplasticizer required. Such sugars and sugar alcohols, however, are not,generally, plasticizers per se for the copolymeric salts employedherein.

The sizing compositions used in the practice of the invention areemployed as aqueous compositions. Such sizing compositions generallycomprise from about 2 to 10% of such copolymeric salt and from about 40to 100% by weight, based on said copolymeric salt, of a polyalkyleneglycol plasticizer therefor, the remainder being water. However,suitable adjuvants may also be used in such sizing compositions and asexamples of these may be mentioned wetting agents, softening agents andthe like. In general the quantity of copolymeric salt applied to theyarn depends upon the construction of the yarn as, for example, thenumber'of filaments, the twist, the denier of the yarn, etc., andwhether the yarn has been presized. A particularly suitable sizingcomposition for nylon yarn comprises from about 5 to 8% by weight of thesodium salt of the copolymer of styrene, maleic anhydride and methylacid maleate in the amount of about 10 to 30% based on the maleicanhydride, the maleic components and styrene being copolymerized in themolal ratio of about 1:1, and from about 60 to by weight, based on saidsodium salt, of a polyethylene glycol having the general formula:

where a: is an integer from 3 to 9. In general, the quantity ofpolyalkylene glycol plasticizer used will depend upon the copolymericsalt employed and the nature of the plasticizer. For example, thequantity of polyethylene glycol used will depend upon the polymerizablecomponents in the copolymer and, whether the alkali metal salt thereofis the lithium salt, the sodium salt or the potassium salt since each ofthese copolymeric salts will require varying amounts of such plasticizerin order to be an eifective size for nylon yarns.

In the sizing of nylon yarns any conventional sizing apparatus or meansmay be employed for applying such sizing compositions to the warp yarns.One procedure for carrying out application of the size is to first passa large number of unsized or presized nylon warp ends, which have beenwound on a beam, through a conventional size box which contains theabove described sizing compositions. The sizing composition or solutionis generally maintained at a temperature of about 130 to 150 F. The warpyarns are then passed through squeeze rolls to remove excess sized yarnends are then taken up on a beam or suitable take-up device and areready for the weaving operation. By using this procedure from about 1 toof copolymeric salt is applied to the yarn depending upon theconcentration of the composition and the percent pick-up. Normally apick-up of 70 to 100% is efiected.

Although the above described sizing apparatus is most commonly usedcommercially for the sizing of nylon yarns, other sizing procedures andapparatus can be suitably adapted for applying the sizing compositionsdescribed herein. Moreover, such sizing compositions can be applied atany convenient and practical stage of the yarn manufacturing operation.Thus, the sizing compositions may be applied after the yarn has beentwisted by passing the yarn through the size solution or over rollers orsurfaces of a suitable device wherein the rollers or surfaces are coatedwith the sizing composition. The sized yarn is then suitably dried untilit is non-tacky and then packaged. Another method of sizing is to dipthe yarn while in the form of a skein in the sizing composition and thendry it until it is non-tacky. Still another method is to unwind the yarnfrom a package, pass it through the sizing composition or over rollerscoated therewith after which it is dried until it is non-tacky and thentaken up on another package. It is obvious that other methods of sizingmay be employed in addition to those described.

'Most nylon weaving mills operate their looms in weaving sheds where therelative humidity of the air is maintained at about 60 to 65%. Whennylon yarns which have been sized in accordance with the presentinvention are woven into fabrics under such conditions there issubstantially no shedding or dusting of the size or weaving defects inthe finished goods, that is, thin yarns, stripped back filaments, knots,etc., in the fabric are substantially eliminated with the result that avery high percentage of the woven fabric is first quality.

A further understanding of the advantages of the present invention willbe obtained from the following examples which are intended to beillustrative, but not limitative of the scope of the invention, partsand percentages being by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE I 1. Preparation of copolymeric'salt Three-tenths molecularproportion of methanol was reacted with '1 molecular proportion ofmaleic anhydride at a temperature of about 65 C. until a constant acidvalue (as determined by titration) was obtained on continued heating.This product was then copolymerized with 1.1 molecular proportion ofstyrene, in which reaction the temperature 'was maintained at,about '65"C. during the period of rapid heat evolution and the temperature wasthen raised to about C. to complete the reaction. Eighteen parts of theresulting copolymeric material, which was obtained in the form of ahard, glassy resin, was dissolved in 279 parts of water containing 5parts of NaOH which resulted in a solution having a copolymeric saltcontent of about 7%.

2. Sizing of nylon warp I To 200 parts of the above solution were added9.8 parts ofcommercial tetraethylene glycol and 80 parts of water andthis solution was poured in a conventional size box of a nve can silkslasher and malntamed at a temperature of about F. Three thousand sevenhundred and forty ends comprising 2100 yards of 70/34/202 unsized(naked) nylon (polyhexamethylene adipamide) marquisette warp were passedthrough the sizing solution at the rate of 30 yards/mmute thence throughsqueeze rolls and finally over the drying cans whicnwere generallymaintained at a temperature of 150160-1'l0--16015o" F. The sizing wasaccomplished without the use of split rods and without stretching theyarn. The sized warp in which the individual yarns remained wellseparated was taken up on a conventional beam. After sizing, the dryingcans were inspected and were found to be substantially free of sizeaccumulation.

This sized warp was woven in a conventional loom at a relative humidityof 60% without appreciable shedding or dusting of the size and theweaving efliciency of the sized yarns was excellent. Moreover, thenumber of loom stoppages normally encountered in weaving sized nylonyarns was materially reduced. The finished fabric was graded as a firstquality material. The size on the finished fabric was easily removed bywashing the fabric in warm water.

EXAMPLE II A size solution was prepared as described in Example I andwas then diluted with an equal quantity of water. This size solution waspoured into the conventional size box of a five can silk slasher andmaintained at a temperature of 150 F. Six thousand, four hundred andeight ends comprising 572 yards of 40/34/7 nylon (polyhexamethyleneadipamide) yarn (presized with polyvinyl alcohol) were passed throughthis sizing solution at the rate of 25 yards/minute, thence throughconventional squeeze rolls and finally over the drying cans which weregenerally maintained at a temperature of l60-170-- -170-150 F. Thesizing was accomplished without the use of split rods and withoutstretching the yarn. The sized warp in which the individual yarnsremained well separated was taken up on a conventional beam. Aftersizing, the drying cans were inspected and were found to besubstantially free of size acprocedure was easily removed by washing thefabric 'in warm water.

EXAMPLE III 1. Preparation of copolymeric salt Five-tenths molecularproportion of isopropyl alcohol, 0.3 molecular proportion of methanoland 1 molecular proportion of maleic anhydride were reacted at atemperature of about 70 C. until the reaction mixture attained aconstant acid value (as determined by titration) on continued heating.This mixture was copolymerized with about 1.25 molecular proportions ofstyrene, in the presence of .002 molecular proportion of benzoylperoxide and at a temperature of about 70 C. during the period of rapidheat evolution. The temperature was then raised to about 120 C. tocomplete the reaction. On cooling the reaction mixture, a hard, glassyresin was obtained. Nineteen parts of this resin or copolymer wasdissolved in 298 parts of water containing 5 parts of KOH. The resultingsolution contained about 7% by weight of copolymeric salt.

2. Sizing of nylon warp yarns The above composition was diluted withwater until it contained about 5% by weight of copolymeric salt. Fiftyper cent by weight, based on the copolymeric salt, of commercialhexaethylene glycol was added to the aqueous copolymeric salt solutionand dissolved therein. A warp of 70/34/202 unsized nylon(polyhexamethylene adipamide) yarn was passed through this compositionwhich was maintained at 140 F., thence through squeeze rolls and finallyover drying cans which were maintained at about 170 F. Sizing wasaccomplished without the use of split rods and without stretching theyarn. The warp yarns remained well separated during the sizing operationand were beamed after leaving the drying cans.

The sized warp was thenwoven into a fabric on a conventional loom at arelative humidity of 60% and there was no appreciable shedding ordusting of the size during the weaving operation. Moreover, the numberof loom stoppages was markedly reduced in contrast to the normal numberof loom stoppages encountered when weaving nylon warps which have beensized with prior art sizing agents. The woven fabric was substantiallyfree of defects such as knots, thin yarns and strip backed filaments.

EXAMPLE IV 1. Preparation of copolymeric salt About 1 molecularproportion of styrene and 1 molecular proportion of maleic anhydridewere copolymerized. The temperature of the reaction mixture wasmaintained at about 60 C. during the period of rapid heat evolution andwas then raised to 125 C. to complete the reaction. On

- cooling the reaction mixture a hard, glassy resin was obtained.Eighteen parts of this resin was dissolved in 279 parts of watercontaining 5.5 parts of NaOH. The copolymeric salt content of thissolution is about 7% by weight.

'2. Sizing of nylon yarns To 200 parts of the above aqueous copolymericsalt solution were added 80 parts of Water and 11.2 parts of commercialhexaethylene glycol. The resulting solution was poured into aconventional size box of a five can silk slasher and was maintained at140 F. during the subsequent r 70/34/20Z of unsized nylon(polyhexamethylene adipamide) yarn were sized with the above compositionusing the procedure described in Example I. After the warp was sized,the drying cans were inspected and found to be substantially free ofsize accumulation.

The sized warp was woven into a fabric on a conventional loom at arelative humidity of 65% without appreciable dusting or shedding of thesize. The woven fabric was substantially free of defects such as brokenends, thin yarns and stripped-back filaments.

Moreover, the number of loom stoppages normally encountered in theweaving of sized nylon warps was markedly reduced.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of sizing nylon yarn and other textile yarn having elasticcharacteristics similar to nylon yarn whereby the sized yarn ischaracterized by a tough, smooth coating which does not substantiallyshed or dust during a subsequent weaving operation, which comprisesapplying to said yarn an aqueous solution comprising (1) an alkali metalsalt of a copolymer of ethylene from the group consisting of maleicacid, fumaric acid, maleic anhydride and alkyl acid esters thereof, inwhich the alkyl group contains from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and mixturesthereof with a polymerizable vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon se lected fromthe group consisting of styrene, methyl styrenes and chloro styrenes and(2) a. polyalkylene glycol plasticizer for said alkali metal saltselected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols andpolypropylene glycols, and drying said yarn preparatory to weaving same.

2. A method of sizing nylon yarn and other textile yarn having elasticcharacteristics similar to nylon yarn whereby the sized yarn is charac--terized by a tough, smooth coating which does not substantially shed ordust during a subsequent weaving operation, which comprises applying tosaid yarn an aqueous solution comprising (1) an alkali metal salt of acopolymer of ethylene a,e-dicarboxylic compounds selected from the groupconsisting of maleic acid, fumaric acid, maleic'anhydride and alkyl acidesters thereof, in which the alkyl group contains from 1 to 3 carbonatoms, and mixtures thereof with styrene and (2) a polyalkylene glycolplasticizer for said alkali metal salt selected from the groupconsisting of polyethylene glycols and polypropylene glycols, and dryingsaid yarn preparatory to weaving same.

3. A method of sizing nylon yarn prepared from polyhexamethyleneadipamide whereby the sized yarn is characterized by a tough, smoothcoating which does not substantially shed or dust during the subsequentweaving operation, which comprises applying to said yarn an aqueoussolution comprising (1) an alkali metal salt of the copolymer of maleicanhydride, a minor proportion of methyl acidmaleate and styrene and (2)a polyethylene glycol plasticizer for said alkali metal salt having thegeneral formula:

where a: is an integer from 3 to 9, and drying said yarn preparatory toweaving same,

4. A method of sizing nylon yarn prepared from polyhexamethyleneadipamide whereby the sized yarn is characterized by a tough, smoothcoating which does not substantially shed or dust during the subsequentweaving operation, which coma,fl-dicarboxylic compounds selected 4prises applying to said yarn an aqueous solution comprising (1) fromabout 2 to by weight of an alkali metal salt of a copolymer of styrene,maleic anhydride and a minor proportion of methyl acid maleate and (2)from about 40 to 100% by weight, based on said alkali metal salt, of apolyethylene glycol plasticizer therefor having the general formula:

where x is an integer from 3 to 9, and drying said yarn preparatory toweaving same.

5. A method of sizing nylon yarn prepared from polyhexamethyleneadipamide whereby the sized yarn is characterized by a tough, smoothcoating which does not substantially shed or dust during the subsequentweaving operation which comprises applying to said yarn an aqueoussolution comprising (1) from about 2 to 10% by weight of the sodium saltof a copolymer of maleic anhydride, a minor proportion of methyl acidmaleate and styrene and (2) from about 60 to 80% by weight, based onsaid sodium salt, of a polyethylene glycol plasticizer therefor havingthe general formula:

where :c is an integer from 3 to 9, and drying said yarn preparatory toweaving same. a

6. A sizing composition for nylon yarns and other textile yarns havingelastic properties simi-l.

lar to nylon yarns comprising an aqueous solu: tion of (1) an alkalimetal salt of a copolymer of an ethylene 8-dicarboxylic compoundselected from the group consisting of maleic acid, fumaric acid, maleicanhydride and alkyl acid esters thereof, in which the alkyl groupcontains from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. and mixtures thereof with apolymerizable vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon se where a: is an integer from3 to 9. j,

8. A sizing composition for nylon yarns com; prising an aqueous solutionof 1) an alkali metal salt of a copolymer of styrene and maleic an;-hydride and (2) a polyethylene glycol plasticizer for said alkali metalsalt having the general where a: is an integer from 3 to 9.

9. A sizing composition for nylon yarns cemprising an aqueous solutionof (1) a sodium salt of a copolymer of styrene, maleic anhydride'and aminor proportion of methyl acid maleate'and ('2) a pohrethylene glycolplasticizer for said copolymer salt having the general formula:

HO-CH2-(CH2OCH3)r-CH2Ofi where a: is an integer from 3 to 9.

'10. A nylon yarn and other textile yarn having elastic propertiessimilar to nylon yarn coated with an alkali metal salt of a copolymer ofethylene ,s-dicarboxylic compounds selected from the group consisting ofmaleic acid, fumaric acid, maleic anhydride and alkyl acid estersthereof, in which the alkyl group contains from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, andmixtures thereof with a polymerizable vinyl aromatic hydrocarbonselected from the group consisting of styrene, methyl styrenes andchloro styrenes, which salt includes a polyalkylene glycol plasticizertherefor selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols andpolypropylene glycols.

11. A nylon yarn prepared from polyhexamethylene adipamide and coatedwith an alkali metal salt of a copolymer of styrene, maleic anhydrideand a minor proporton of a methyl acid maleate, which salt includes apolyethylene glycol plasticizer therefor having the general formula:

where :c is an integer from 3 to 9.

12. A nylon yarn prepared from polyhexamethylene adipamide and coatedwith an alkali metal salt of a copolymer of styrene and maleicanhydride, which salt includes a polyethylene glycol plasticizertherefor having the general formula:

tion comprising (1) an alkali metal salt of a copolymer of styrene andmaleic anhydride and (2) a polyethylene glycol plasticizer for saidalkali metal salt having the general formula:

where a: is an integer from 3 to 9, and drying said yarn preparatory toweaving said yarn.

14. A sizing composition comprising an aqueous solution of (l) a sodiumsalt of a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride and (2) apolyethylene glycol plasticizer for said copolymer salt having thegeneral formula:

HOCI'IZ (CHIOCH2)I CHQ-OH where z is an integer from 3 to 9.

GERALD R. BARRETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,976,679 Fikentscher et al. Oct.9, 1934 2,047,398 Voss et a1 July 14, 1936 2,300,074 Strain Oct. 27,1942 2,324,601 Spanagel July 20, 1943 2,324,739 Stoops et a1 July 20,1943 2,469,407 Powers et al. May 10, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES SyntheticOrganic Chemicals. 12th ed., July 1, 1948, carbide a Carbon chem. Corn,page 21.

1. A METHOD OF SIZING NYLON YARN AND OTHER TEXTILE YARN HAVING ELASTICCHARACTERISTICS SIMILAR TO NYLON YARN WHEREBY THE SIZED YARN ISCHARACTERIZED BY A TOUGH, SMOOTH COATING WHICH DOES NOT SUBSTANTIALLYSHED OR DUST DURING A SUBSEQUENT WEAVING OPERATION, WHICH COMPRISESAPPLYING TO SAID YARN AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION COMPRISING (1) AN ALKALI METALSALT OF A COPOLYMER OF ETHYLENE A,B-DICARBOXYLIC COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROMTHE GROUP CONSISTING OF MALEIC ACID, FUMARIC ACID, MALEIC ANHYDRIDE ANDALKYL ACID ESTERS THEREOF, IN WHICH THE ALKYL GROUP CONTAINS FROM 1 TO 3CARBON ATOMS, AND ADMIXTURES THEREOF WHICH A POLYMERIZABLE VINYLAROMATIC HYDROCARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STYRENE,METHYL STYRENES AND CHLORO STYRENES AND (2) A POLYALKYLENE GLYCOLPLASTICIZER FOR SAID ALKALI METAL SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUPCONSISTING OF POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS AND POLYPROPYLENE GLYCOLS, AND DRYINGSAID YARN PREPARATORY TO WEAVING SAME.